Long Furlong Barn, the venue for Holly and Ed’s wedding, sits in the South Downs National Park in Sussex. Nestled in a valley, with the South Downs rising above it, it’s a relatively new Sussex wedding venue. The barn isn’t new though. Built in 1880, in the style of a medieval tithe barn, it is owned by the local farming family, the Jenkin family and was converted into a wedding venue a couple of years ago. (Google it and you get Katie Price holding her wedding vow renewals here!)
Used as a grain store for many years, the main big barn, with it’s magnificent ceiling of soaring roof beams, is the Granary and where the wedding breakfast takes place. The wedding ceremony is held next door, in the Cart Shed. The bride and groom stand over a rather disconcerting (glassed over) hole in the floor during the ceremony – where sacks of corn used to go. Unlike many barns, the windows give some nice flat light for the ceremony. (Such an important feature for a wedding venue imho) Flat light was definitely the order of the day. There wasn’t much light flooding on the day. While Hurricane Patricia may have been hammering the coast of Mexico on Saturday, the weather in Sussex was not quite on a par, but it was still dull, dark and soggy. With quite a late start for a ceremony in late October, at 4pm, sundown would be around 5.45pm – on a bright day. It wasn’t a bright day….
A quick ceremony – Holly and her father didn’t pause to come across the courtyard and down the aisle. (Almost got caught out there ;-)) Ceremony finished, everyone followed Holly & Ed out into the courtyard for hugs and fizz. Looking at the photo exifs, there was twelve minutes before the drizzle forced everyone back into the Cart Shed. The ceremony chairs having been quickly whisked away. Outside it gradually got darker and darker and then the rain came.
Drinks drunk, it was time for the meal. Then the speeches….perhaps you can see where the biggest laugh came? As Ed delivered a classic line….
Over to Ed….
“Meant to say: “ask her nicely and she’ll give you everything she’s got”
Actually said: “ask her nicely and she’ll do anything”….”
Dancing next, back in the Cart Shed and the party carried on.
Shame about the dark skies and rain, but who cares, Holly and Ed got married! Here are few images from the day at Long Furlong Barn…
